Improvement in grain-shovels



E. P. WILLIAMS. GRAIN sHoVBL Patented Aug. 8, 1865.

UNITE? STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIJAH P. WILLIAMS, oF BUFFALO, NEW YORK,

IMPRQVEM ENT IN GRAIN-SHOVELS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 49,330. dated August 8, 1865;

To all lwhom it mag/concern.- Be it known that I, ELIJAH P. WILLIAMS, of the city ot' Buffalo, county of Erie, and. State ot` 1New York, have proved Grain-Shovel for in Vessels;Warehouses, and other Places; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof,reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making a part of' this specification, in Which- Figure l is a longitudinal elevation. II is a transverse sectional elevation',ai`i`d III is a top-plan view.-

Letters of like naine and kind 'refer lo. like parts in each of the figures.

The nature of this invention relatesto the construction ol a skeleton runner-likel'rame, of metal, wood, or other material, in which is hung one, tivo, three, or more pen dent ila ps or shovelhv blades, forming a 'grain-shovel, to be operated by any convenient'application of power, so 4that in the forward inoveiuentjof'the shovel these llaps or shovel-blades will scra pe or move forward theggrsin, and in the backward movement these flaps or shovel-blades will easily slide over the grain without moving it back.

Fig. Fig.

rPhe skeleton frame-work of my improved` shovel consists. of two runners, made ruimer vshape at both ends,as shownaatAand hinged `or jointed in the middle, as shown at a; but

the runners may or may not be jointed. iii the middle, as preferred. l make 'and use them in either way. T-liese runners are connected at each endon the top, by crossbars B,.which have a hook or elevis in the center or at the corners, (for fastening the operating chain or rope to,) as sliowii at b. There are also several cross-tie rods at the bottom, as shown -at C, and several posts rising upwardly4 from the runners and incliniiig slightly back, as shown at d. I also place strengthening rods or chains longitudinally from corner of the runners to strengthen the forward pull. This frame has a top or covering of leather, heavy canvas', or other elastic material, as represented in the drawings at E.

` The ilaps or shovel-blades are shown at F. These are made ot' thin plates of metal, and have a leather hinge at the upper edge -thereof, as shown at j", by which they are connected lo the elastic covering oi' to theiraine, and are thereby made pendent downwardly, and

freely swing upon their hinges but they are prevented frein swinging far back by means of p invented anew and Im!- Use in Moving Grain antedated August 4, 1865.

' the postsd when filled with movement. f

and operated in the hold-of vessels where the grain' is, orat such other place where grainis priat'e mechanism for givingthem an alternate "back-and-iyorthmovement. When used' for unloading grain-vessels they will be placed in such proximity to theV elevatingileg, which is usedtbrelevating the grain from the vessel to the storehouse or for transferring it to other vessels, so that the shovel will deliver the grain to the 4foot of the elevating-leg at each forward movement. When used for triniming?7 vessels-iii loading they will be arranged and worked accordingly. When used i`nstorehouse for moving the grain back into the bins, they will be arranged and operated for that purpose. These .flaps or blades being hinged to the top or covering, they arefree to swing forward iii their backward movement, id hence. will slide over the grain easilyin'- back movement without carrying backgrain; butin their forward movementthe)A ll with grain, resting against the postsd at a slight incline, so that they will sera-peor in'ove forward the grain iii their forward movement. The runner shape ot' the frame will allow it to slide easily through the grain iii either direction. As many of these shovels as are requisite may becoiiiiected and worked in line, they being made iii sections for that purpose, so that vgrain-from the most distant parts of `the -vesselmay be reached'and moved along to the made of,l light metal, and the runners being jointed in the middle, and thel top or covering being made ot' leather or other material, the

to the work they' are required to perloiin.

This device asa whole is very light, and

scribed.

. Witnesses M. P. FILLMORE, E. B. FoRBUsH.

E. P. WILLIAMS.

g'rainin the forward Shovels of this kind are intended to be used to be moved, end will be connected` to appro elevating-leg, as described.` The frame being shovels are thereby given a'pcrtuct adaptability may be worked with less power than any other E, for the purposes and .substantially as de-` 

